News and Insights

SAK Environmental (SAK) is excited to announce that we are now licensed in Massachusetts to conduct on-site phase contrast microscopy (PCM) analysis of air samples for asbestos abatement projects, including air clearance sample testing and background air quality monitoring at both traditional and non-traditional abatement projects. This license was only possible after successfully demonstrating continued proficiency in four AIHA...

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Planning a Building Renovation or Demolition and have Asbestos Containing Materials? The Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards (DLS) recently revised asbestos regulations, 454 CMR 28.00: The Removal, Containment, Maintenance, Or Encapsulation Of Asbestos, effective April 2, 2021. These regulations primarily govern licensing, training, worker protection, and records retention. The revisions include a variety of changes, but most notably clarifying...

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The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MADEP) took another step in establishing a framework to ensure the suitability of soil reused as fill in large-scale fill projects in Massachusetts by issuing a draft Interim Policy on the Re-Use of Soil for Large Reclamation Projects. The draft policy, which MassDEP issued on May 27, 2015, outlines the Department’s proposed interim...

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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) are a synthetic organic group of compounds added to countless products to improve their performance. Like asbestos this miracle compound poses a health hazard and may require removal. For buildings, PCBs were added to caulking, adhesives, asphalt roofing, insulating coatings, tarpaper and plastizers to improve their pliability and service life.  Buildings constructed or renovated before the...

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Soils management and disposal has been a constant headache during construction projects all over Massachusetts. This always leads to the question of: Why? In order to answer this question, it is worth looking at these issues from the landfill’s point of view. There are several competing factors that landfill operators face in order to operate their business. The availability...

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Construction soils management continues to be an important discussion topic among contractors, consultants, and even the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). With the limited amount of disposal locations in Massachusetts, finding proper locations for soils has become a significant issue during many construction projects. In order to resolve some of these issues, MassDEP issued a “Similar Soils Policy&rdquo...

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